Construction Season Continues

Although the construction season is winding down, city officials are reminding drivers that it is not over.

In fact, two projects begin today: Utility work on a sanitary sewer line along River Road and a resurfacing of Jefferson Avenue.

The latter project—on Jefferson from Route 59 to slightly east of Fort Hill Drive—will cause lane closures until its completion which is scheduled for the week of Oct. 4, according to a news release from the City of Naperville.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane from 7 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. Thereafter, the lane closures will take place each day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the project is finished.

City officials are also encouraging drivers to seek alternate routes this week if they regularly travel River Road. Work on an existing 20-inch diameter sanitary sewer line begins today on River Road between Chalet Road and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks.

The utility improvements are scheduled to be completed within one week, weather permitting, and traffic signals will be in place to help maintain travel in each direction on River road, said the release. But motorists should expect delays.

Other projects, like roadwork at 75th and Washington streets, remain underway.

"When we open the lanes near that intersection in October, they aren't going to fully paved so they're not going to be pretty yet, but people will have more access than they do now," said Jennifer Runestad, the city's spokeswoman for transportation, engineering and development.

The summer's three-week union labor strike—not to mention periods of heavy rain and river flooding—caused slight delays in the overall timelines of the projects. But Runestad said the city's contractor is working extended hours on weekdays to make up for time lost.

"The strike ended in late July," she said. "We've had a lot of time and we've used it … Since then, we were able to make up some time with a number of projects."

For more information on local road improvement or construction projects, visit the City of Naperville's website.